Florida Gators Baseball Wins Series Over UAB

The 13th-ranked Gators took two of three games to open the 2026 season.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The Florida Gators baseball team opened the 2026 season with a series win over UAB, highlighted by a doubleheader sweep on Saturday. Despite a shaky debut from preseason All-American Liam Peterson, the Gators got strong performances from transfer Kyle Jones and freshmen Jacob Kendall and Cash Strayer.

Why it matters

The Gators are looking to build on a successful 2025 campaign and make a deep postseason run in 2026. How the team's young talent and veteran leaders perform in the early going will be crucial to their success this season.

The details

After dropping the series opener 9-7, Florida bounced back to win the next two games, 11-0 and 6-1. Junior pitcher Liam Peterson struggled in his first outing, lasting just 3.1 innings and giving up four earned runs. However, the Gators got a boost from transfer Kyle Jones, who led the team with seven hits and five doubles over the weekend. Freshmen outfielders Jacob Kendall and Cash Strayer also made an immediate impact, with Strayer going 5-for-8 with a home run and two doubles in the doubleheader.

  • The series took place from February 14-16, 2026.
  • The Gators dropped the series opener on Friday, February 14.
  • Florida swept the doubleheader on Saturday, February 15.

The players

Liam Peterson

A junior pitcher and preseason All-American who struggled in his 2026 debut, lasting just 3.1 innings and giving up four earned runs.

Kyle Jones

A transfer from Stetson who led the Gators with seven hits, including five doubles, over the weekend.

Jacob Kendall

A freshman outfielder who got the starting nod as the designated hitter on Opening Day and is expected to play a key role for the Gators this season.

Cash Strayer

A freshman outfielder who went 5-for-8 with a home run and two doubles in the doubleheader, making a strong case for playing time.

Colton Schwarz

A freshman infielder who recorded his first collegiate hit, an RBI single, in Game Three.

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What they’re saying

“That's not the Liam we expect to see or the Liam we usually see. He's been outstanding all preseason and wasn't as crisp tonight, but we know that he'll bounce back his next outing and we'll see the Liam we're used to seeing.”

— Tom Slater, Associate Head Coach (si.com)

“I love finally getting to be out there and go help my team, and not look you out from the dugout. I'm just very thankful and very blessed that all the trainers and everybody that helped me get back out there.”

— Kyle Jones (Twitter)

“He can really hit, guys. Again, another guy who had a really good fall, really good preseason work here. We knew we were going to play him today and he's just a good player, man. Good outfielder, he can swing the bat, and what's fun with him, too, is his ability to use the whole field. He drove a double and a homer both oppo today and he stays on the ball really well.”

— Tom Slater, Associate Head Coach (si.com)

What’s next

The Gators will look to build on their series win over UAB as they prepare to face off against rival Florida State next weekend.

The takeaway

Despite some early struggles from their preseason All-American pitcher, the Gators showed the depth of their roster with strong performances from transfer Kyle Jones and freshmen Jacob Kendall and Cash Strayer. If the young talent can continue to develop, Florida could be a force to be reckoned with in the 2026 season.